Labor and Employment Law

Recent Posts

Senator Franken Bill to Ban Noncompetes For Low Wage Workers Would Be a Good Start
Posted on 7 Aug 2015 by Donna Ballman

After the Jimmy John's noncompete for sandwich maker debacle , some members of Congress asked the FTC and the DOL to investigate the sandwich chain for potential antitrust and labor law violations. Some states have moved to ban noncompetes altogether... Read More

States With Pro-Employee Laws: Noncompete Agreement Hardship on Employee as Defense
Posted on 30 Oct 2014 by Donna Ballman

Or, States That Don't Suck For Employees Part VIII Living in Florida, one of the worst states in America for employees on noncompete agreements, I'm used to having to deal with a statute that says the courts cannot consider any economic hardship... Read More

11th Circuit Rules Courts Must Consider Hardship to Employee in Deciding on Florida Noncompete Injunction
Posted on 14 Sep 2015 by Donna Ballman

Florida's noncompete statute is, no doubt, harsh on employees and extremely favorable to employers. However, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals just made it a bit less harsh. The court ruled that, although Florida law bans the courts from considering... Read More

Noncompete Answers: Am I Bound If My Employer Violates FMLA?; Wages Cut Right After Signing; Can They Restrict My Livelihood?
Posted on 17 Sep 2013 by Donna Ballman

Having received more questions on noncompete agreements than any other issue, I can only assume that more and more employers are imposing these contracts on employees all over the country. There are lots of defenses to them, but defending takes money... Read More

Is My Noncompete Contract Superseded? Which Contract Applies?
Posted on 14 Mar 2014 by Donna Ballman

This reader question was left on my post Non-Compete Agreements - Top 5 Ways To Get Out of Yours : Hi Donna, I am in the State of PA and had signed two year non competes to get options grants. I left the company under a voluntary separation agreement... Read More

Non-Compete Agreements Can't Be Used to Prevent Competition
Posted on 3 May 2013 by Donna Ballman

Whether you work in the copy room or in a corner office, you may have been presented with something called a Non-Competition Agreement. Or maybe it was called something sneakier, like a Confidentiality Agreement or Intellectual Property Agreement.... Read More

Fisher & Phillips: Non-Compete and Trade Secret Review for February 2013
Posted on 12 Mar 2013 by Fisher & Phillips LLP

by Michael R. Greco February 2013 was an active month in the world of non-competes and trade secrets, and if we read the tea leaves, it looks like things are only going to get busier. Before I recap some of February's highlights and direct you... Read More

Overly Broad Non-Compete Agreement in Pennsylvania?
Posted on 25 Mar 2013 by John Gallagher

Pennsylvania Courts Almost Never Throw Out Non-Compete Agreements Because They Are Overbroad Many clients have come to me convinced that their non-compete agreement is unenforceable because it is for too many years, or to too broad a geographic... Read More

Virginia Supreme Court Limits Opportunity to Obtain Quick Dismissals of Noncompete Cases
Posted on 24 Sep 2013 by Lee Berlik

When companies sue their former employees on the ground that they allegedly breached a broadly-worded noncompete agreement , a common defense tactic has been to file a demurrer, arguing that the complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be... Read More

Quicken Loans: Part Two
Posted on 19 May 2014 by Doug Esten

In October of 2011, seven mortgage bankers at Quicken's Phoenix area office resigned. They received a letter from the company reminding them of the obligations of their employment agreements including the non-compete, confidentiality, non-communication... Read More

An Enforceable PA Noncompete Without Consideration? Not on the Superior Court's Watch!
Posted on 16 May 2014 by Philip Miles

A couple of years ago, I blogged about a legal theory in a Legal Intelligencer article that would create enforceable noncompetes without any consideration. The premise was pretty simple, Pennsylvania has a law called the Uniform Written Obligations Act... Read More

Quicken Loans: Part Two
Posted on 19 May 2014 by John Holmquist

In October of 2011, seven mortgage bankers at Quicken's Phoenix area office resigned. They received a letter from the company reminding them of the obligations of their employment agreements including the non-compete, confidentiality, non-communication... Read More

How to Draft an Enforceable Noncompete Agreement in Five Steps
Posted on 21 Aug 2013 by Jon Hyman

According to the Wall Street Journal , litigation over noncompete agreements is rising: More employers are requiring their new workers to sign “noncompete” agreements, which they say are needed to prevent insiders from taking trade secrets... Read More

Bradford K. Newman, Partner at PaulHastings, on Employment Issues
Posted on 27 Apr 2010 by Corporate and Securities Law Community Staff

Bradford K. Newman, Partner and chair of the employee mobility and trade secret practice at PaulHastings, discusses the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in the context of an employee's "authorized" use of company systems for unauthorized purposes... Read More